This invention relates generally to engine governors used on internal combustion engines and specifically on engines which include a low idle stop effective at a position slightly above a shut off position.
Engine governors of vehicles driven by internal combustion engines generally are set by hand levers or foot pedals. Although the specific purpose of an engine governor is to maintain engine speed at an optimum setting for fuel economy and the like, it is important to provide a governor control system which is easily reset particularly to the idle position. Since it is also advantageous to reduce the number of control devices at the operator station of a vehicle, it is usual to combine functions of such controls as the engine governor and the shut-off mechanism of the internal combustion engine. In lever control systems or pedal control systems the combination of engine governor control and engine shut-off control raises the possibility of inadvertent shut-down of the engine during retardation of the lever or relaxation of the pedal by the operator to achieve a governed idle condition. Accordingly, it has been found that a detent mechanism in the engine governor control system is appropriate to adequately warn the operator of the approach to the shut off setting of the engine governor. The detent precludes inadvertent shut-down of the engine.
Unfortunately, in systems designed for hand lever control the detent mechanism is usually constructed with a spring having a relatively low resistance to torque while the foot pedal operated systems require a relatively high resistance to torque in view of the nature of the system. To construct a system which may be utilized for either a hand lever or foot pedal installation depending upon the ultimate vehicle into which it is installed, requires varying tension of the detent spring. In the past this has required a redesign of the control lever system.